Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Mozzarella

Tomato plants love dry heat, so ours have been thriving with this heat wave. As Forrest doesn’t eat raw tomatoes, and there’s only so many Caprese salads that I can eat in a day, I started to plan other ways to use the bounty, which of course led me to tomato soup. There’s something about roasting the tomatoes first that brings out the best flavors. Don’t let that part scare you, it actually makes the soup easier, but it does take a bit longer.

This recipe is easily adaptable based on the ingredients you have on hand. I typically follow strict measurements, but in this case, it’s really just a work as you go kind of recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tomatoes into quarters or halves, depending on size. Place tomatoes on foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about an hour, or until caramelized & browned.

Pour tomatoes and juices into a blender, add basil leaves and puree. I then poured them through a strainer to get out the seeds, but this isn’t necessary. Pour puree into a medium pot, add about half of the chicken broth and bay leaves, stirring to combine. Continue to add stock until desired thickness is reached. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste.

Place handfuls of shredded cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure the cheese is piled, but not too high. Place under broiler until browned, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly to become crispy.